


Bastard of winter

by PapaZed1965classic



Series: Fury of the North [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, secrets of the north
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 07:03:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5154689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PapaZed1965classic/pseuds/PapaZed1965classic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ned pulled out an old tome, from a secret cabinet in his solar underneath his desk. He glanced up at her frowning. Carefully flipping the pages until finally he stopped with a strange look on his face. He pushed it towards her and said "Read it".  She looked at the page he had flipped too and saw the title Bastards of winter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. cold hands of death

Jon

 

Jon gazed at his hands in horror. Glancing up to the three men frozen in place. Solid ice. He'd killed them to be sure. But he didn't understand what happened at one moment he had been with theon, and robb. The next they had been attacked. The screams had Startled him and he fell from his horse, as his brother and the iron born were yanked from there saddles. He gained his senses and saw a brief struggle robb and then we're quickly disarmed. Castle trained they were but children they are. Blades placed at throats after a thrashing. The one in the front not holding a hostage stepped forth, jon a few paces away stepped back. "Come here boy, or we'll gut your friends!" He barked. Jon stumbled back in fear. " release them" he'd cried, in his best attempt at imitating his lord father. They chuckled at him to his fury. Robb gave a muffled cry as the dagger dug into his neck. Eyes pleading for any kind of help. In greyjoys eyes tears threatened to spill. While he was distracted the leader lunged forward and grabbed his neck, tossing him to the floor. He pounced on jon and held him down while looking back at his comrades. "Kill them. Then hide the bodies. This is stark land we can't be caught or all we did was for nothing.". Jon panicked and kneed the man on top of him in the stones. He yelped and tumbled off. He stood swiftly and the men smiled as they moved to execute their respective hostages. Jon gave a shout of desperation with his hands outstretched. Looking back he remembered a strange peaceful feeling washing over him. Frost shot from his hands hitting the man holding robb captive. He gave a shriek of pain as his flesh froze like water turning blue and cold. His whole body frozen in the same position it was in before. A look of horror forever on his face. The one holding theon stopped his motions looking on in shock at his comrade was killed. Theon slipped from his grasp just as jon turned his way and still shooting powerful frost raised his hands towards him and he met the same fate as the last. Not missing a beat he turned to the man who had attacked him. Not missing the look of terror on his face jon froze him solid on the his knees before he could utter a plea for his life. Staring at the frozen corpse with a look of serenity. Unknown to him robb wrenched the man's frozen arm off him, it cracked and shattered from his body like brittle glass. Hearing this seemed to rouse jon from his trance. He gazed around him at the men before dropping to his knees. Robb rushed to his side grabbing his brothers shoulders shaking him. Yelling to theon, robb ordered him to go get his lord father. Theon rushed to one of their mounts still nearby and rode off in haste. Jon had raised his head and begged robb not to leave him right before his father and thirty men from the house guard arrived. He didn't know how much time had passed, but saw his father looked at the frozen men in shock for a moment before Dismounting and rushing to their side. "Are you okay my boys?" He questioned. It was all jon heard before all was black.


	2. Guardian's

Ned

"That boy is a monster Ned, if you will not be rid of him for my sake do it for the children! I rode out with rodrik and jory, saw for myself what he did." She raved at him. He let her continue in stead of arguing. She would understand in but a moment. "It's dark magic I say, I'll have master luwin notify the citadel. They will cleanse the boy."  
"Silence my lady. I'll hear no more on it. You will listen to what I must say." He interrupted. " This is the north. I have built a Sept for you here. There are also many others that follow the seven. But here in the north the Old Gods reign supreme. He need not be dealt with by any but us. What he did, was to protect our child. Your son and theon greyjoy." He reminded her as he pulled a key from a drawer in his desk. He remained silent as he moved his chair back and knelt down. Sweeping away dust he placed the key in a concealed hole in the ground. Turning the key released a hissing sound and the turning of gears was audible. After a moment he pulled the key and with it came a panel rising. In side he reached and grabbed an ancient tome. Thick as the blade of ice, his family's ancestral great sword. He sat down again at his desk and gazed at his wife. Honestly surprised she had remained silent through his speech and task."This tome is a record of the all the guardian's of house stark." He laid it down on his desk and flipped through the pages as he spoke. "What jon is, what he will become is not a danger to our family. But to those who would do us harm." He found the page he was looking for that explained the Bastards purpose and turned the book towards her. So that she would confirm his words herself.  
"Ned, I don't care. It is not natural"  
"Read it my lady, for the love we hold for each other. Please just read and learn." She gazed at him for a moment suspicion in her eyes before she sat in his guest chair. Watching his lady wifes face as she pulled the book closer and scanned it's contents. Her expressions and scrunched eyebrows were still endearing to him as she read. It took a moment but when he was sure she had finished and gazed up at him with something akin to awe, He spoke. " In times when our house is in great peril, or will be. The old gods gift a child of our house with the power of winter. Many have been true born of the stark line. But for the most part, they have been base born. But all have stood guard for our family and protected us and the north from whatever threat we may be facing. They can conjure blades of ice that will shatter steel, also create their own armour from it and for those of stark blood. Like what jon has done, they can expel frost or ice from themselves as a weapon or for defense. When the boys were attacked it must have awoken in him. His will to protect robb forced that power to bubble to the surface. As far as I know the last guardian was Brandon snow, brother to King Torrhen Stark. The king who knelt. Many people think that the King bent the knee to Aegon the first because he saw the great dragons they rode to battle. But that is not the truth. Brandon had proposed he sneak in the camp under the cover of night and use his power to kill the great beasts of dread. From the the tales told I have no doubt he couldn't have slayed them. But the King was not so certain. He would not risk the life of his brother for a crown so he met Aegon under a white flag and gave up his crown and kingdom to be it's lord and warden. For the love of family he knelt." He recited as she listened intently. " The first was known as Bran the builder. After the war for the dawn he gave all his power to erect the great Wall of ice in the far north. Spanning from east coast to west, his creation has guarded the realms of man for ten thousand years." He paused to let all the information sink in. She looked Conflicted his lady. But in his heart he knew she would understand and accept jon for what he was. Not just her shame, but the man that would stand guard for her family and keep them safe from those that would so them harm. "That my lady is what jon is. He will be trained to fight and command as robb will be. He loves his siblings and to an extent you as well." She looked mildly appalled at that thought. "For giving him siblings my lady. Someone he can love and care for as they do him. It will be his duty to oversee all of their protection one day. I have no doubt that he will do these things to the best of his ability, which I assure will be great. He has expressed interest in the watch. But I will not allow this. I've had plans to restore Moat Cailin to its former glory and will begin soon. I would have that be his seat one day, as the shield of the north. But he need not know that yet. He will need to practice and hone his ability to perfection. So whatever you might say my lady, I will not send him away. He will grow to manhood in this keep with his siblings and learn from me alongside robb to rule lands and handle coin." Ned put a blank face on to show he was serious, should she try to argue further. To his astonishment she looked rather pleased, he assumed that was because jon would be sent away one day to the moat. But then she spoke words he'd not expected to here from her.  
" If what I've read and you've said is true. He will insure that no harm ever befalls my children. With his power it shouldn't be hard. I've not been kind to the boy, I know that ned. I tried but I look at him and see all you. He has the stark look more than any of your true born children. The children that sprung from my womb. That has hurt so much more than you could imagine. His mother whoever she may be, left little of herself in him. But I will do my best to have neutral opinion on his presence. I've been unfair to the boy, I would have him rewarded for protecting my son. He need not know I've asked you this. But you will write to your friend, the king and have him give jon a name. A true name, the name of his brothers and sisters. Stark. He's earned that. But for me to agree he must be placed behind all true born siblings in succession." He was baffled that opinion changed so quickly on the boy. But he dismissed it on grounds that she knew now that the power of winter would not harm her children. She looked to be thinking on what to say next for a moment before she began again. "But what haunts me more. Is that if these Bastards of Winter only appear in times of peril. The last one came forth when dragons burned army's to dust in Westoros and marched on the north. What could cause one to manifest now ? Long after the dragons have died. Think on that Ned. I know I will. I am weary from today's events. I will retire to my chambers so do night expect my company this evening. Also go check on the boys. Robb and theon still seem Startled from seeing such things and being attacked by Wildings. Jon is still asleep as far as I know, taxed from using his power it would seem. You should look in on him as well. Good night my lord." She whispered as she stepped around his desk and kissed him for a brief moment then collected herself and walked from his solar and left ned contemplating the future. Danger to come or already here he supposed. But one thing was certain he surely loved his lady wife. She surprised him still with her ability to adapt. He thought while collecting the tome and placed it back in its cradle in the floor. He saw the Valarian steel Hilt wrapped in corded leather, with a snarling dire wolf head protruding from each side of the Hand guard. Also in the safe. Lacking a blade, it was impractical but He smiled to himself and thought this will be for jon one day. He closed the safe land left his solar. It was time to speak to his sons.


	3. Monsters

Jon 

 

He had left his room. While maester luwin had left to attend other duties. Sneaking through the halls of Winterfell, he heard guards and maids alike. Their whispers of hate and fear. Calling him a monster, saying what he had done was work of evil. He'd ran then from the great keep to the library tower and hid amongst the many shelves that held books and scrolls on all manner of wonderful things. Crying alone in the dark, for there were no torches lit in the tower. He'd eventually fallen asleep. He awoke to shouts from his father, he'd walked to a window and looked into the main courtyard. He was directing men all throughout the keep. Ordering them to find jon. He seemed to sense he was being watched. Glancing up his father spotted him. He grimaced before shouting at them to go back to normal tasks. Then headed for the gate to the tower jon occupied. Seeing this jon fled and hid along side a shelve. Hearing the door the fm room open. Jon cringed, scared that maybe even his father would think him a monster. He saw torchlight leading around the hall before settling right next to him. He felt his father slide down to the ground next to himself.  
"Jon, what are we hiding from?"  
"I'm scared father, I heard everyone talking about me. Saying what I did was wrong and evil. What if there right? What if I'm a monster? Like in the stories old nan told robb and i. The walkers. The cold ones." His father remained silent for a few moments and that's all the confirmation he needed. It was true.  
"That's nonsense my boy. You are no monster. You are my son. A stark if not in name then blood. The power you have is not a curse or work of darks arts. But it is a gift my son. A tale you will hear. Long ago in the dawn age when the first men settled in westoros. A terrible foe marched on mankind from the far north. In response to this threat the old gods gifted the power of winter to a man named brandon. With his gifts he could combat this terrible foe. He made blades of ice and armour for every able bodied man that could fight. His power was as Strong as the walkers. It was because of him, that man was not vanquished ten thousand years ago. He was a stark. The old gods only trust starks with this power. Your are a stark, whether you believe that or not. Think of it like a shield and a sword, my son. It can be used to destroy or to protect. You have the power to insure the safety of our family. You do want to protect them, don't you?" He paused to glance a jon as he sniffled. Jon heard all he had said. Thinking on it, father was surely right. He could make sure his brothers and sisters were always safe. Always able to be with him. He decided father was right, if had the gift he would use it. To protect his family the ones who accepted him. " I won't let anyone take them from me. I swear it by the old gods I'll do anything I can to protect them." He vowed. He meant it too. There was nothing more important to him, than his family. "Well that's good my boy, I believe in you. If anyone can do it. You can." His father spoke softly. Then nudged his shoulder while smiling. " let's go find robb, he's been worried about you. We wouldn't want to make him worry any more." He stood up. Pulling jon along with him. He laughed while ruffling his hair, as jon tried to swat his hands away. "Have I ever told you the story of how Brandon the builder built the wall. He had the gift like you, that's how. Come my boy I'll tell you more on the way to your brother." He put an arm on jon's shoulder and led him down the isles to the stairs.


End file.
